13 Easiest Aquarium Plants for Beginners

 

Planted aquariums are increasingly becoming popular. Aquarium plants are not only spectacular to look at, but they also have the remarkable ability to soak up excess nutrients and toxic compounds in the water. These natural filters are healthy for fish as they absorb carbon dioxide and saturate the aquarium with oxygen, while also providing them security and shelter.

There is a variety of aquarium plants to choose from. Based on their placement in the aquarium, these plants can be divided into four categories -foreground plants, midground plants, background plants and floating plants. Here is a list of some plants that you can grow easily in your aquarium.

FOREGROUND/CARPET PLANTS

Foreground or carpet plants are ones that grow slowly and have a limited height -they grow outwards and not upwards. If you wish to have a luscious green carpet along the base of your aquarium, the following foreground plants are perfect for you.

JAVA MOSS: It grows quickly, especially in bright light, well-circulated clean water. Java Moss is compatible with most species of fish, grows in most water conditions, temperatures and light, and is easy to trim.

MARIMO MOSS BALL: This green orb requires very little care and is one of the most inexpensive plants. All you need to do is gently roll these balls in your hands every time you change the water to maintain their cute round shape.

DWARF BABY TEARS: This plant with tiny leaves grows in clusters and is perfect for fish breeding and aquascaping. It has a moderate growth rate, is simple to maintain and grows best in moderate lighting.

MIDGROUND PLANTS

These are the plants that are placed at a medium height around driftwood and rocks.

JAVA FERN: Its incredibly undemanding, hardy nature, unique shape and compatibility with plenty of fish makes Java Fern a popular aquarium plant. It grows best in bright light and waters with slow current, which most filters can provide. It does not require additional fertilizers or substrate and can be attached to driftwood or rocks.

ANUBIAS Nana: Anubias is a low-maintenance, slow-growing, column feeding plant that can be placed anywhere in the aquarium. This midground plant can grow in any condition and can thrive even in bare bottom aquariums. These plants require less plant care.

BACKGROUND PLANTS

Background plants are tall plants that can be placed in the background or sides of the aquarium to give shelter to your fish and hide filters.

AMAZON SWORD: Amazon Sword can grow quite tall and forms a beautiful forest-like backdrop for aquariums. Its ease to care and ability to survive in a wide range of conditions makes it a popular aquarium plant.

VALLISNERIA: Vallisneria thrives on moderate to low lighting and liquid fertilizers. Its ribbon-like leaves and the ability to grow fast and tall make it a perfect background plant, especially if you are looking for an underwater jungle-like background.

FLOATING PLANTS

You can also introduce floating plants in your aquarium. They act as a decorative remedy to algae growth in aquarium ,as they block out bright light by spreading across the water surface.

DUCKWEED: Only requiring light and nutrients within the water, Duckweed is one of the easiest plants to grow in aquariums. This small species can grow in a wide range of temperatures, multiplies quickly and provides shade to the fish. Add this plant with caution, it can quickly become out of control and will need to be thinned often.

HORNWORT: A versatile plant, Hornwort can be grown as midground, background or floating plant. It has high tolerance to almost any water condition and can thrive even in small aquariums. Clear water and moderate to high lighting provide ideal conditions for Hornwort to flourish.

In our Shop By Look section, we have the Rio Pantanal jungle-inspired aquarium with some of the best plants. The Rio Pantanal in Brazil is known for its crystal-clear water. The fish found in this area is very similar to the real Nigro or Amazon region. Bring a bit of a jungle river in your living room with this beautiful aquarium modeled after nature.